The head of the UK's first Russian state-sponsored media outlet has defended claims it is a black propaganda tool for the superpower's president.
Nikolai Gorshkov, the UK editorial director of Sputnik News, was prompted to defend the outlet's UK headquarters of Vladimir Putin’s media service amid scepticism of its motives as it opened its doors to the British press for the first time.
Mr Gorshkov and the team, which it is hoped will reach 25 staff members in Scotland, led by Oxana Brazhnik, 33, a former high-level political adviser from Moscow with no previous career in journalism, claimed there had been no direct influence from the Kremlin.
Read more: Herald View - Politicians should be wary of Sputnik
Johanna Ross, 30, is an executive producer, from Dundee, who is among the staff in the staging post for Russia that was criticised for earlier likening Scots independence to the conflict over Crimea in the Ukraine.
Scots journalists and radio presenters Carolyn Scott and Jack Foster are also among those accused of being part of a black propaganda operation, claimed to have been set up in Edinburgh because of cost savings compared to London.
Read more: Kremlin mouthpiece sets up UK base in Edinburgh
Ms Scott, presenter on World in Focus, said: "I personally find that (black propaganda claim) just a bit ridiculous.
“From first-hand experience we are never put in a position where we think that we are going to destabilise the UK."
Mr Foster said: "If there is an agenda then certainly no-one’s told us."
Ms Brazhnik rejected claims Sputnik's reporting could have influenced the 100,000 petition for a new referendum after Russian officials criticised the voting and counting processes.
Read more: Herald View - Politicians should be wary of Sputnik
She said: "At that time we didn’t even have a team on the ground to report on the Scottish Referendum.
The station was criticised after its London web-based arm packaged wire news copy about MP Jo Cox and claims her killing may have been connected to the Remain Brexit campaign.
Ms Brazhnik said: "This is not the only view that is presented on the website."
Read more: Kremlin mouthpiece sets up UK base in Edinburgh
Mr Gorshkov said: "There are different genres.
"Of course wires they are short bursts of information they are quotes from this and that and everywhere and we have in-depth stories as well.
"In any in-depth story obviously you get area of opinions.
"But the wires job is to come up quickly with what is the story of the day and I do recall in the British media there were speculations or suggestions."
Mr Foster also defended the editorial independence of the office.
He said: "I can only speak for what we do in this office and certainly I don’t feel that there is ever any pressure on me to report in a specific way or present things in a certain light.
Read more: Herald View - Politicians should be wary of Sputnik
"If that did happen, if that was something that was to happen down the line, I would be very uncomfortable with it.
“But I’ve been here for a couple of months and I’ve not seen any evidence of it."
Mr Gorshkov said: "I can assure you that there if is any mistakes, you know, a nugget in the reporting, these are due to our desire to be first with the news it happens with other news organisations as well or to be cutting edge and doing the unorthodox on stories.
“Obviously telling the untold sometimes leads you into a trap and you have to be vigilant and watchful.
"Yes every news outlet makes a mistake.
"It’s not down to any kind of conspiracy.
"Sometimes it feels like they might be a little too overzealous in criticising some outlets more than others."
Read more: Kremlin mouthpiece sets up UK base in Edinburgh
Jenny Carr, of the Scotland-Russia Forum, said she was puzzled why the new organisation was not called "Sputnik Scotland".
She said: "It seemed strange not to locate Sputnik UK in London since other national branches of Sputnik were located in the national capital."
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